October 31, 2014
Halloween is controversial. Ghosts and ghouls and vampires and tombstones. Our world is scary enough without all that. It’s so controversial that a lot of churches choose to deal with it by pretending it doesn’t exist. Some ignore it altogether, focusing on Reformation Day if they acknowledge anything. Others have Harvest parties, Fall Festivals, Great […]
Read More →May 16, 2014
If we’re supposed to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep, have you ever wondered how you do that? What if you’ve never come close to experiencing what your friend has? While people who’ve actually walked in another’s shoes have an extra dose of understanding, empathy is still possible for the rest […]
Read More →January 3, 2014
I love new beginnings. I’m one of those rare people who actually enjoy moving, not out of any masochistic love of packing or saying good-bye, but because I like starting over. I like the clean, streamlined feeling of having just purged all the extraneous stuff (such as papers and useless junk) out of my life. […]
Read More →November 25, 2013
On Nov. 28, 2013, for the first and only time in any of our lifetimes, the first full day of the eight days of Hanukkah converges with American Thanksgiving. We will not have another “Thanksgivukkah” for 70,000 years, or so I read. (I didn’t know how to begin to check the math on that one.) […]
Read More →September 3, 2013
Wednesday at sundown, the holiest time of the year for Jewish people begins. Like my Jewish friends, I also believe in the Messiah; the only distinction is that I believe he already came in the person of Christ. As a Hebrew, Jesus loved to commemorate the holy days. Understanding the symbolism helps me appreciate the richness […]
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